Terrence Lyons, Peter G. Mandaville, eds. Politics from Afar. New
York Columbia University Press, 2012. 256 pp. $50.00 (cloth), ISBN
978-0-231-70278-2.
Reviewed by Nikola Mirilovic (University of Central Florida)
Published on H-Diplo (February, 2013)
Commissioned by Seth Offenbach
_Politics from Afar: Transnational Diasporas and Networks_, edited by
Terrence Lyons and Peter Mandaville, makes an important contribution
to the literature on diaspora politics. In particular, the book
illustrates the importance of diaspora politics, while also outlining
some of the limitations of that influence. Diaspora politics matters
broadly geographically, impacts a number of important issue areas,
and is timely and politically relevant. I proceed by outlining how
_Politics from Afar _addresses the implications of diaspora politics
in these three areas. I also identify puzzles raised by the book and
suggest areas for further research.
In terms of geographic scope, the book address the politics involving
diaspora groups originating from Ethiopia, Mexico, Sri Lanka,
Ireland, the Dominican Republic, Morocco, Ireland, and elsewhere. The
politics and economics of all these countries have been shaped in
part by the actions of their diasporans and by the decisions that
their states have made in organizing their relations with the
diaspora. Diaspora politics is relevant in a number of geographic and
cultural settings. Further research can continue to address those
issues by examining diaspora politics issues across many countries
using large-N statistical methods.
The book demonstrates that diaspora politics affects a number of
other issue areas relevant to scholars and policymakers, from public
good provision to violent conflict. Camilla Arjuelas's chapter
demonstrates that violent conflict in Sri Lanka has been affected by
the Tamil diaspora based in the West. The chapter also compares and
contrasts the approaches of the Tamil and the Sinhalese diasporas to
the conflict. Meanwhile, Heather Williams's chapter demonstrates how
public good provision in Mexico, such as road building and sanitation
improvements, are facilitated by contributions from Mexican
Americans. Finally, Laura Hammond's chapter and Terrence Lyons's
chapter describe how electoral politics in Somaliland and Ethiopia,
respectively, are shaped by diaporans. For example, Hammond states
that many prominent officials and politicians in Somaliland are
diaspora returnees, including thirty of the eighty-two members of the
House of Representatives.
The book addresses timely issues and recent trends. Chapters by David
Scott FitzGerald and Peter J. Spiro examine the growing acceptance
since the 1990s of dual citizenship and overseas voting rights.
Policymakers in many countries are considering reforms in these
areas. Spiro addresses both sides of the debate over dual citizenship
and overseas voting: the claim of proponents that dual citizenship
helps source countries attract remittances, and the claim of critics
that those who do not have to live with the consequences of their
vote should not be allowed to participate in elections. The trend
toward acceptance of dual citizenship and of overseas voting raises
important theoretical questions for future research, such as why some
countries but not others have recognized dual citizenship, and what
consequences overseas voting has for governance quality.
While the book demonstrates that diaspora politics is important,
several authors also describe relevant limitations to its influence.
Understanding the limits of diaspora influence makes for a more
complete account of diaspora politics. For example, FitzGerald and
Jose Itzigsohn both argue that immigrant-sending states continue to
shape diaspora politics. While issues such as overseas voting and
dual citizenship complicate the idea that nations are sovereign and
territorially bound, to an important extent sending states decide the
form of diaspora representation and influence within their country.
Another area where the influence of diasporas is relatively limited
also raises an important puzzle. Itzigsohn and FitzGerald describe
how communities of Mexican and Dominican origin in the United States
have pushed for overseas voting rights, and have in recent decades
succeeded in attaining those rights. However, their turnout in
Dominican and Mexican elections has been very low, limiting the
impact of the diaspora on electoral results. The question of why
diaspora groups and their representatives push for a right they later
only exercise in a limited fashion is one that future research might
address.
Another area for further study is that of migration and diaspora
politics in authoritarian settings. Eva Ostergaard Nielsen's chapter
makes a contribution here. Her article addresses the efforts of
Morocco to organize relations with the Moroccan diaspora in Spain and
elsewhere. Diaspora politics in Morocco involves debates over the
participation of the diaspora in elections held in Morocco--an
authoritarian state. Issues of degrees of authoritarianism, or of
subtypes of authoritarian states, are relevant to understanding this
topic.
_Poiltics from Afar_ has important implications for larger political
science debates. Within political science, international and domestic
politics are usually studied separately. Diaspora politics in general
and _Politics from Afar_ in particular, demonstrate that domestic and
international politics are often closely linked and should be studied
together. Meanwhile, diaspora politics issues like dual citizenship
recognition and overseas voting help us understand larger questions
about identity and the nature of the nation-state.
Citation: Nikola Mirilovic. Review of Lyons, Terrence; Mandaville,
Peter G., eds., _Politics from Afar_. H-Diplo, H-Net Reviews.
February, 2013.
URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=37445
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons
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